(8/14/13) A former La Crosse police lieutenant is free on a signature bond, after appearing in court this afternoon in a drug case.

Brian Thomson was arrested yesterday, after the state Justice Department investigated the matter. Details were not disclosed. A criminal complaint was not filed. The La Crosse County district attorney's office and Circuit Judge Ramona Gonzalez had both worked with officer Thomson during his 15 years on the city's police force – so a special prosecutor and another judge will be named from outside La Crosse County to avoid conflicts. Authorities said Thomson was booked into the jail in neighboring Monroe County for possible charges of possessing a narcotic, theft, and misconduct in public office. Just before the arrest, Thomson resigned. He had served mostly as an overnight third-shift officer. Officials said Thomson was the only officer involved in what a police statement called a "breach of the public trust."